DPRD speaker sentenced for graft

KALIANDA, Lampung: The Kalianda District Court sentenced on Wednesday Muaz Munziri, the speaker of the Tanggamus regental council, to 18 months in prison for graft.

According to the panel of judges, the defendant was proven guilty of embezzling Rp 1.1 billion (US$129,412) belonging to a farmers' cooperative in the regency.

The sentence was much heavier than the eight-month sentence sought by the prosecution.

The judges said Muaz deserved a heavier sentence because not only had he embezzled money, he had also impeded a government program to help farmers improve their welfare. -- JP